1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile electronic apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mobile electronic apparatus which can supply electric power by using solar cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasingly, solar cells are used as electrical power sources for mobile electronic apparatuses such as notebook computers, netbook computers, personal media players, mobile terminals, portable electronic books, and other similar portable electronic devices. However, when using the solar cells as a primary power source of a mobile electronic apparatus, the solar cells need to supply a constant and stable voltage to the mobile electronic apparatus.
Since an output voltage of the solar cells changes according to factors such as an amount of sunlight or an irradiating circumstance of the solar cells, such as the presence of clouds in the sky, an angle of incidence of the light, and other similar factors, the solar cells need to be modified in order to provide a stable electric power source which can provide a constant output voltage. In order to provide the constant output voltage, a converter system is used to convert unstable output voltage of the solar cells into stable voltage at a high-speed. A solar cell DC/DC converter may be used as the converter system of the unstable output voltage of the solar cells.
In order to use the converter system for the mobile electronic apparatus, a separate converting circuit which operates as the converter system is arranged in the mobile electronic apparatus. In a related-art mobile electronic apparatus, the converting circuit is arranged on a main board thereof, while the solar cells are disposed on an outside surface or on a keyboard surface of the mobile electronic apparatus.
FIG. 1 illustrates a netbook computer as an example of a mobile electronic apparatus according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a converting circuit 40 is disposed with or on a main board 30, both of which are disposed in a main body unit 10 of the netbook computer 1. A keyboard 50 is disposed on the main body unit 10. Solar cells (not illustrated) are disposed on a rear side of a screen portion 21 of a display unit 20, such as an LCD unit or any other similar display unit. However, in case where the converting circuit 40 is disposed on the main board 30, as shown in the mobile electronic apparatus of FIG. 1, the main board 30 has a separate area for receiving the converting circuit 40.
When the solar cells are disposed on the display unit 20, and the converting circuit 40 is disposed on the main board 30 of the main body unit 10, a temperature difference between the solar cell disposed on the outer surface of the mobile electronic apparatus 1 and the converting circuit 40 disposed inside the main body unit 10 of the netbook computer 1 is generated such that efficiency of the solar cells may decrease.
Also, since the unstable electric power moves through a long cable from the solar cells of the display unit 20 to the main board 30 of the main body unit 10, loss of electric power is likely to occur. In addition, if a path along which the unstable electric power passes is long, the unstable electric power may cause electronic noise so as to affect other parts of the netbook computer 1.
Also, when the solar cells are disposed so as to be exposed to the outside of the mobile electronic apparatus 1, the solar cells may be damaged by an external impact or the solar cells may be contaminated by environmental contaminants.